# Given Names -- What were they thinking? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 14, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759 "2012-04-14T14:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/161 "2012-04-16T18:11:56Z")
> [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](#): > > Well _that_ kid’s set for life.. On the TV show “Raising Hope,” Martha Plimpton’s character, Virginia, was named “Virginia Slims” hoping to get a free carton of cigarettes. Or so the show’s most recent episode claims. 🙂 > [@pabstist](#): > > I know a girl named Kayenta- sounds like a Mexican convertible, not a white girl in Vermont. Also a Siobhan- pronounced shevon. My wife’s friend is named Tara, but you must say tar-ah. > > Then again my name is Barrett, and I once picked up a pizza with Parrot written on the box. Who the hell would name their kid… never mind. I used to work with a Siobhan, pronounced shevon. She was of Irish extraction, but born in England. Her official birth certificate has her name spelled “Chavonne” so that’s what she has to put on “official” documents. But unofficially she’s Siobhan. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/162 "2012-04-16T19:01:17Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > I was reading the summer movie preview in Entertainment Weekly and I came across this name of a six-year old girl starring in an upcoming film: > > Quvenzhané > I don’t even have a clue how to \*begin \*pronouncing that one! Just like it’s spelled: _conventioneer_. ---
**Author:** ![Capt\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@Capt\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/163 "2012-04-16T20:51:39Z")
I actually know a Female, she is the daughter of a former neighbor(evil, bitter and loud), a very nice woman. She cringed a little when her mother introduced us, I am sure she uses another name at work. In college I knew a woman named Deja Vu, hippie parents and I played in a band with a guy named Love but he went by Mark Why Why Why ---
**Author:** ![RalfCoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@RalfCoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RalfCoder)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/164 "2012-04-16T20:59:11Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > My kids went to grade school with a kid named Michael Hunt. I’m sure junior high was… lots of fun. I went to school with a guy with a similar problem. His name was Russell Bone. His nickname was Boner. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/165 "2012-04-17T03:37:09Z")
I had one friend named Rdl. Pronounced Ar-DELL. Pretty cool, I thought. Worked with a hot babe named Happy. Her sister was named Lucky. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/166 "2012-04-17T03:55:05Z")
I know a little girl called Xen, pronounced, as she’s always saying, as “Zen with an X.” Poor kid, luckily she seems pert enough to pull it off. I wonder if she’ll rebel and only answer to Ann at some point… ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/167 "2012-04-17T04:20:47Z")
Not necessarily, going by personal experience. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/168 "2012-04-17T04:26:28Z")
I went to grade school with a kid named Kalen Dor. I was amused but I think it was a non-humorous ethnic name of some kind. I also met a woman who had renamed herself Krishna in the Old Hippie Days, and named her daughter Tree. Krishna could not understand it when her daughter upon attaining her majority immediately legally changed her name to Anne. ---
**Author:** ![lizlizliz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/db5fbb/32.png) [@lizlizliz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizlizliz)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/169 "2012-04-17T04:51:24Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > Worked with a hot babe named Happy. Her sister was named Lucky. I know a Lucky. She pronounces it as “Lukey,” and for the most part goes by her middle name. My cousin named her son Cianan, pronounced like “Keenan.” I’m not sure how popular the name is in Ireland, but I do wonder if he’s in for a lifetime of mispronunciation here in the US. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/170 "2012-04-17T10:11:40Z")
> [@lizlizliz](#): > > I know a Lucky. She pronounces it as “Lukey,” and for the most part goes by her middle name. > My cousin named her son Cianan, pronounced like “Keenan.” I’m not sure how popular the name is in Ireland, but I do wonder if he’s in for a lifetime of mispronunciation here in the US. Cian is a common first name in Ireland, I don’t think I’ve ever come across a Cianan before. The Keenan surname however is rather common. ---
**Author:** ![chloes1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@chloes1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chloes1)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/171 "2012-04-17T20:11:32Z")
Abcde (pronounced AB-si-dee) This one I can attest to! It is (apparently) a girl’s name… I have a male ancestor named Valentine Griggs. ---
**Author:** ![chillywilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@chillywilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chillywilly)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/172 "2012-04-17T22:22:34Z")
My cousin named her daughter Blaire. Sounds snooty and pretentious, no? Then the kid acquires an IPad–at nine months old. Sounds snooty and pretentious, no? ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/173 "2012-04-17T23:24:25Z")
I was in Rainbows with a girl named Ida Claire. Her mom really thought she was being clever. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/174 "2012-04-18T00:57:26Z")
I ran across a LaDreen today. I thought I heard “Latrine”. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/175 "2012-04-18T03:51:48Z")
Only slightly off topic: A co-worker of mine had to call IBM tech support in Atlanta GA. The technician asked for his name, to which he replied, “My name is Luc\* Noel” pause tech: "How do you spell “Luke” with no L? Ever since we’ve called him “ook” (\* the French spelling of Luke - pronounced the same) ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/176 "2012-04-18T04:07:14Z")
“Phellanie” pronounced as felony. Good luck to her if she ever gets arrested. ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/177 "2012-04-18T10:45:34Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > I believe the most unusual version of that name I’ve seen is Siouxan. Did she get mad as hell if you stared and said “ooh don’t you spell it Susan?” > [@kath94](#): > > I used to work with a Siobhan, pronounced shevon. She was of Irish extraction, but born in England. Her official birth certificate has her name spelled “Chavonne” so that’s what she has to put on “official” documents. But unofficially she’s Siobhan. Relations called Siobhán who have lived outside of Ireland have reported problems with people not having a clue how to spell their name, or pronounce it when they see it written. One gave up and spelled it Shivonne, which seems to be the most popular mis-spelling. Another was trying to get a bracelet engraved, and the fella couldn’t get his head around how the eff SIOBHAN is pronounced Shivonne. Apparently a lot of people don’t realise Irish is a language as well as a nationality. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/178 "2012-04-18T13:27:40Z")
> [@Terra1041](#): > > I think the “Nosmo King” stories come from the Ramona Quimby series, in which the title character (a young girl) tries to make a “No Smoking” sign but it ends up being split between lines as “Nosmo King”. Later, her father asks who this “Mr. King” is. There was a vaudeville actor who called himself Nosmo King way before the Ramona Quimby books–I think the joke goes back to at least the 19th century. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/179 "2012-04-18T14:01:21Z")
Wow, did I just breeze through this thing and get to relate: [Dick Trickle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Trickle), race car driver? Also met a Latrina at the checkout of a local Giant food a decade ago. Made me want to wash my hands. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759/180 "2012-04-18T14:25:57Z")
I was shopping at Target one day and a couple of women were in the next aisle. They had some kids with them and the kids were holy terrors. The women were yelling at the kids in that kind of “I’m just going to yell at you and not do a damn thing about it” way, but they kept using the kids’ names over and over. The kids’ names were Armani, Giovanni, and Casino. They yelled the names so many times and so loudly that I could tell they were so proud of those names. I was :dubious:. \*Casino? \* And I really wanted those kids to shut up. That night those boys were playing in the parking lot of their apartment building when some idiots had a shootout and an 11-year-old girl watching TV inside [got shot](http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/apd-offers-reward-for-informationin-shooting-death-of-girl-11-in-south-akron-1.228004) through the wall and died. “I seen this dude shooting like at this other dude,” Armani said. “The dude was just shooting.” I woke up to this news and lost my appetite for the rest of the day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/given-names-what-were-they-thinking/618759.md?page=10)